"Cricket fitness should be the prime consideration" - Sunil Gavaskar questions BCCI's decision to re-introduce Yo-Yo Test as a selection criterion
Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar believes that the controversial Yo-Yo test is not the right way to judge a cricketer's fitness.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced that the test would once again be used as a selection criterion prior to an international assignment. The newly-elected board came to an agreement about this with the team management during a review meeting on January 3.
The Yo-Yo test was first introduced during the regime of Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri, who wanted to set a new fitness standard for the team. The rigorous test has led to the non-selection of several players in the past as they were unable to clear the cutoff score set in place.
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Opining that the fitness levels required for fast bowlers, batters and wicketkeepers are vastly different, Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid Day:
"The point am trying to make is fitness is an individual thing and there is no such thing as one size fits all. The quick bowlers need a different level than the spinners, the wicket keepers need an even higher level and the batters perhaps the least. So it’s rough when the parameters are set for everybody and not according to one’s specialty."
Also arguing that the fitness required to play cricket should be the most critical parameter in place, Gavaskar said:
"Cricket fitness should be the prime consideration. And yes, it would be revealing if these fitness tests are done in the public domain with the media present for then we would know if a player is ‘yo yo’ or no no."
Apart from the Yo-Yo test, the BCCI has also decided to use DEXA (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) ahead of selection. This allows for the medical staff and fitness coaches to see several internal parameters such as bone density and body fat percentage.
"It might be better to have the medical experts in the selection panel than former cricketers" - Sunil Gavaskar
The BCCI has also announced its new selection panel, led by Chetan Sharma - who serves his second consecutive term as chairman. But with the Yo-Yo test apparently being a key parameter in terms of selection moving forward, Gavaskar noted the absence of a medical specialist in the selection panel.
Other members apart from Sharma include SS Das, Salil Ankola, Subroto Banerjee, and S Sharath.
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Stressing the lack of a medical expert on the panel who could make decisive calls based on the test results, Gavaskar said:
"The CAC has just interviewed candidates for the selection committee panel, but not one was a bio-mechanics expert or a body science person. Since eligibility is going to be based on the fitness of a player, it might be better to have these experts in the selection panel than former cricketers."
He continued:
"After all if it comes to a choice between two players for a spot in the team these experts would be in a better position to tell which among the two is fitter than the other and never mind the runs scored or wickets taken by the two players."
What do you make of BCCI's decision to bring back the Yo-Yo test as a selection criteria? Let us know what you think.
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